How It Went Down
by Amazinggirl7
Summary: When Phineas finally realizes Isabella's crush on him, he finds he has feelings toward her. But will he tell her before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

10 years. For 10 years, she had this huge crush on me. And I didn't do anything. But instead of making it up to her, I broke her heart. Now here I am, staring like a fool, wondering how all this happened so fast. It all started a month ago, on the last day of school...

A sharp knock sounded on my bedroom door. I grumbled, flipping my pillow over my ear to block the noise. My eyes creaked open and flicked to the alarm clock. 6:25.

 _Mom, I love you, but I am not waking up before the sun does_. I grimace as another knock resonates. I know she won't stop until I'm up.

"Phineas," her voice croons, "wake up, sweetie."

A silent groan. "I'm up, mom," I reply groggily. I hear Ferb grumbling from across the hall. _He_ has a choice whether he goes to school or not. Obviously, it's a not. A sweet memory spills into my brain. It's the last day of school! I'm suddenly more awake than ever. My face hurts from all of my smiling. The end of 10th grade and the beginning of a brand new summer. I sigh audibly. Finishing all of my daily routines in one quick flourish, I bound out my bedroom door and swing into the kitchen.

"Well, someone seems to be in a good mood," my mom comments from the sink.

"It's the last day of school," I say helping with the dishes. "Who wouldn't be excited?" She chuckles to herself.

"Your breakfast is in the microwave," she says placing the last dishes in the rack. I wipe my hands on the towel.

"Thanks," I say after grabbing it while pouring a cup of orange juice.

 _Buzz, Buzzzz_. I unplug and pick up my phone from its charger. A text from Isabella pops up on the screen.

Isabella: **_You up?_**

I munch on my toast as I type my reply.

Phineas: **_Yeah. Wat's up?_**

Isabella: **_Have 2 get 2 school early today._**

Phineas: **_Got ya. Time?_**

Isabella: **_By 7._**

I check the time. 6:40.

Phineas: **_You ready now?_**

Isabella: **_As always_** **.**

Ah, Isabella. Longtime bestfriend. The more I think about her, the more distracted I get.

 _Oddly_.

Scooping my charger up and into my bag while calling a quick goodbye to my mom, I head out the door with my keys. And almost ran over Isabella.

We're nose to nose now. Her beautiful dark blue eyes staring deep into mine. I swallow. Her cheeks turn pink.

"Uh, hi," she says quietly.

"Hi..." I say, gaze unchanging.

 _Has her eyes always sparkled like that?_

"We should go now," she says backing up a step.

"Yeah," I say, though in my mind, I'm screaming, _No!_

She's wearing a new pink shirt. This one is backless, with nothing but straps running across and holding it together. I hope I'm not drooling as she turns and walks to my car. I help her into the passengers side. A custom-made, sleek black Camaro with a blue stripe running along the side. My greatest build. We speed off to school, arriving in under fifteen minutes.

"What did you have to be here for anyways?" I ask as we pull into the parking lot. She didn't answer right away.

"It's... something important." She steals a glance out the window when I park. I drop the subject as we walk through the high school's blue double doors.


	2. Chapter 2

She leads me inside, swiftly walking through the courtyard and to my favorite class: Physics.

 _What is she up to?_

She knocks on the door; on the other side someone stirs. There are several footsteps, then the door is unlocked. I glance at Isabella, trying to catch her eye. Gretchen is standing in the doorway.

"Come in, you two," she says with a smile. My brows knit together out of confusion. Isabella smiles reassuringly up at me. I step in first, seeing nothing in the darkness of the room.

 _What's going on?_

I hear the door close behind me and I turn around to face Isabella, who is closer than I thought. She takes a deep breath, snapping her fingers. A slow song starts from nowhere (Why I Love You- Major), and the room lights up slowly. I'm startled by it. Isabella wraps her arms around my neck, leaning in deep. My arms give up on the directions from my brain, slowly holding her waist and swaying her back and forth to the music. She is blushing deeply as we dance. Near the end of the song, she lifts her head to meet my gaze.

"I have something to tell you," she says slowly. I wait patiently, totally oblivious.

She hesitates, taking another breath. "I like you, Phineas." I smile, not fully understanding the concept of the situation.

"I like you, too, Isabella," I say. She lights up.

"Really?"

"Yeah," I say, "as best friends, right?" Her entire disposition changes. Her mouth is open, but no words come out.

"I..." she says dropping her head, "y-yeah. Best friends. That's it. Just friends." She turns and exits the room, leaving me stunned.

"Good morning, class," Mr. Wilson calls cheerfully. "And happy last-day-of-school to you all." We're in first period math. And instead of doing math-related things, he lets us do what we want, so long as we don't get too out of hand. Isabella and I are sitting side-by-side in the desk. I notice she isn't as talkative as usual. She hasn't so much as cast a glance in my direction.

 _Strange._

"Hey," I say trying to break the silence between us. "What's wrong?" I nudge her arm. She doesn't reply.

 _Doubly strange._

For the rest of the period, Isabella just sits there doodling on a sheet of notebook paper. The period bell rings, and we collect our things to leave. I'm distracted for the next few periods. Finally, at lunch everyone sits at our usual lunch table. Isabella hasn't shown up yet. We exchange our greetings and begin to eat.

"Hey, Gretchen," I say. She turns her attention from her phone to me. "Where's Isabella?"

She shrugs. "I haven't seen her since this morning."

On instinct, I reach for my phone, speedily typing a quick text to my best friend.

Phineas: **_Hey. Where are you?_**

I finish my lunch and wait for the response. The end-of-lunch bell rings. Our table disperses; Gretchen is the only one that remained.

"Where is she?" I wonder aloud. Gretchen shrugs again.

"She seemed pretty upset this morning," she comments. I don't reply right away.

"Yeah," I say. "She said she had something to tell me, this morning."

"What was it?"

"She said, 'I like you,'" I say, still not grasping the hidden message, "I said that I liked her back, you know, as best friends, of course."

Gretchen was stunned. "You said that?"

"Yeah," I say, "that's what she meant, right?"

"Oh, no," she whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear. "Izzy..."

"What?" I stop in the hallway, turning to fully face her. "What did I do?"

She fumbles with her hands for a moment while trying to find the right words.

"Phineas," she begins slowly, "what Isabella really meant was that she like-likes you, a lot."


	3. Chapter 3

That was a slap to the face. I'm still standing there in shock.

"W-What?" I stammer.

"Yeah," Gretchen says staring up at me, her eyes honest and true. "It's more like, she's in love you."

I wince at that statement, the full complexity of the situation hitting me hard.

 _She had feelings for me. And I pushed her away. What am I going to do?_

A million thoughts raced through my head. But the thought sticking out in my brain was, did I like her back? The first bell rings for the last class on the last day of school.

 _I know she won't be late for a class. I'll do something then._

"I have to go Phineas," Gretchen says starting to walk away. She stops and turns around to face me again. "I hope you figure this out."

I'm sitting in my desk, right beside Isabella's, waiting for her to show up. I do anything I can to get my nerves under control. My phone buzzes.

Isabella: _**Not gonna be in class today.**_

I glance around the room. No one's looking.

Phineas: _**Why?**_

Isabella: _**Got library duty.**_

Phineas: _**On the last day of school?**_

There was no reply after that. I sigh quietly. The entire class period I'm drawing on a sheet of paper. During the end-of-the-day announcements, I look at what I've been drawing. A well-detailed picture of Isabella stares back up at me. It hadn't registered what I'd drawn, but I have gotten every curve right. Mastered the beauty and solemness in her smile. Perfected those amazingly beautiful eyes. Something wet drops on my desk. Wiping a hand across my mouth, I quickly realize I've been drooling.

 _Wow_ , I think, _maybe I do like her back._

The final bell rings; my tenth grade class spills out to the parking lot filled with semi-expensive cars and trucks. I stay in class for a longer period of time than usual, slowly gathering my things. Mrs. Mitchell watches me over the top of her glasses as she fills out some paperwork.

"Phineas, is there something wrong?" she asks. I'm guessing she got tired of me still being here.

"No, ma'am," I say swiping my things into my bag in a quick flourish.

"You were awfully quiet in class today," she says, staring at me plainly. "I noticed that Ms. Garcia-Shapiro was not here. Was that the reason of your silence?"

"I..." I say, thinking up a good excuse, "was just thinking about what I could do this summer." I smile earnestly.

Mrs. Mitchell searches my face for any kind of faltering. "Okay, then," she says, returning to her paperwork. I let go of the breath I've been holding as I walk out the door. Slipping my phone out of my pocket, I speedily text Isabella.

Phineas: **_R U riding with me today?_**

Isabella: _ **...**_

I wait on the reply, already out of the school and nearing my car.

 _Buzz, Buzzzz_.

Isabella: _**No, I'm riding with Gretchen.**_

I deflate.

Phineas: _**Okay. See ya later.**_

Pulling out of the parking lot and taking the long way home, I begin to think about everything that happened today.

 _Do I like Isabella more than a friend?_

I ponder on that question awhile. All I can think about is her. My focus slips from the road...

...just as something runs in front of my car.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much to _lipdproductionsinc_! He was a lot of help for this chapter. This chapter's unusually long this time. Please enjoy!**

* * *

 _(911 conversation)_

 _911_ : 911, what is your emergency?

 _Woman_ : There was an car accident. I can't see who it is, and I think he's hurt.

 _911_ : Ok ma'am, what is your location?

 _Woman_ : Uh... I don't... Highway 16 East. Please, come as fast as you can.

 _911_ : Ok, I'm going to send the police and fire department to you, okay? I'm going to be right back. Just calm down for me.

 _ **Through Police radio:**_

 _911 Dispatcher_ : Fire to PD?

 _PD Dispatcher_ : Go ahead

 _911 Dispatcher_ : Auto accident, pedestrian struck, Highway 16 East. Fire Department is being advised.

 _PD Dispatcher_ : 10-4

 _ **Through Fire Department radio and pagers:**_

 _911 Dispatcher_ : Firecom to Danville: An auto accident, pedestrian struck. Highway 16 East. 15:43, Dispatcher 13.

 _ **Back to the call:**_

 _911_ : Okay, can you tell me what happened?

 _Woman_ : My daughter ran out in front of his car to get her ball... oh my gosh... he swerved and ran off the road. I don't think he's moving!

 _ **Police radio:**_

 _Female officer_ : 328, I'm 2 minutes out.

 _Dispatch_ : 10-4

 _ **Fire radio:**_

 _Male fire chief_ : 9800 21

 _Fire Dispatcher (not the one handling the call)_ : 23, 9800. Be advised, it's actually just an auto accident, negative on the ped struck.

 _9800_ : 23.

 _1st Assistant Chief_ : 9801 21

 _Fire Dispatcher_ : 23, 9801.

 _ **On the call:**_

 _911_ : Okay, can you tell me whether or not the airbags deployed?

 _Woman_ : I don't know... I think I see them... yes.

 _911_ : Ok, that's good. It means that he's most likely still alive. How's your daughter?

 _Woman_ : She's fine. I don't know what to do...

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Sirens wail from ambulances and police cars that rush to my battered car, which was lying in a ditch. I'm inside, barely conscious. A little kid, about 4 or 5 years old, had dashed out in front of my car trying to rescue her ball. I swerved to avoid her, causing me to flip twice before landing upright in the ditch on the other side of the road. I did, however, manage to miss the child. Warm blood trickles down my face, the shock of the incident still flowing through my mind. My left arm is pinned between my seat and the door; I don't have enough strength to wedge it out. I give up a while. A police man's face is the last thing I see before I slip into comatose...

"Phineas," a voice utters, barely above a whisper. It repeats my name over and over, each time growing louder.

"Phineas!" The familiar voice swims in my mind as I wake. My eyes flutter open; the first thing I see is Isabella hunched over me, tears staining her face. I glance around in confusion.

 _I'm in the hospital. The car wreck._

All the memories come crashing back like a flood.

"Isabella," I groan faintly, just loud enough for her to hear. A gasp.

"Phineas," she says meeting my eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I say smiling as much as I can. I glance down at my left arm; it's in a cast and sling. I reach my right hand up to my forehead; a large gauze is planted firmly there.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she says, eager to help me any way she can.

 _She really cares about me. I like that._

"I was worried about you, Phineas." She can't hold my gaze anymore. She's crying.

I wipe at her tears. "Don't cry, Izzy," I say comfortingly. "Everything's going to be alright."

 ** _Later that night..._**

I'm being lectured about my "distracted driving" once I'm released from the hospital.

"...you should know better!" My mother finishes her rant and takes a break from pacing to face me.

"You don't know how worried I was!" Her face softens. "I'm just glad you're okay," she says, her voice breaking. She pulls me into a hug.

"I love you, mom," I say, returning the hug with my good arm.

"I love you, too," she says, pulling away and resting her hands on my cheeks. "Now get some rest."

I trudge up the stairs to my room. Flopping down into the softness of my bed, I check my phone. A trillion texts from Isabella is the first thing I see. I chuckle to myself. A knock resounds on my door before it's opened. Ferb walks in.

"Hey," he says, his heavy British accident the same. "Are you okay?"

I nod, silently watching him take a seat next to me.

"What happened?"

"Well..." I say reluctant to respond. "I was just off in one of my zones, again."

He gives me a look: _spill it_.

 _Man, there's no hiding anything from that guy._

"Fine, you got me," I look at the window, over at the Garcia-Shapiro house. "I was thinking about... I-Isabella."

I can almost picture the shock on his face. I turn around to face him; he's silently snickering.

"What?" I say. " _What?_ "

"You finally got it," he says.

"Got what?"

"You have feelings for her, Phineas," he says staring me in the eye. "Finally."

I feel my face get warm. "So... what should I do?"

"Easy," he says. "Ask. Her. Out."

I turn a darker shade of red. "I..."

"No excuses, Phineas." Ferb says, standing up. "You've waited to long for this. It'll be good for you."


	5. Chapter 5

I pace my room, thinking about what my brother has said.

 _I do like her back. I've got to tell her. But does she still like me?_

I wince at that thought. I broke her heart. Shattered her dreams of us being together.

"How can I fix this?" I ask aloud to no one in particular. I take a break from pacing, instead sitting heavily upon my bed. I reach for my phone, swiping to my text messages. I type a few draft messages, often deciding against them and deleting rapidly.

"What do I say?" I wonder. "What can I say? 'I'm sorry for crushing your dreams'?" I sigh in frustration. "Maybe I should ask Ferb."

I thumb a quick question to my step-brother:

Phineas: _**Hey, wat should I say 2 Izzy?**_

I wait for his reply. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed.

Ferb: _**Just tell her you like her 2 and UR sorry 4 not telling her earlier.**_

Phineas: **_In person or a text?_**

Ferb: _**In person, imbecile.**_

Phineas: **_Ok, ok, gosh._**

I set my phone down, starting through the bedroom door. Confident as ever, I breeze down the stairs, past the kitchen where my moms sits reading a book.

She lifts her gaze to look at me. "Where do you think you're going?" she asks. I stop.

"Over to Isabella's," I say nonchalantly. My mother raises an eyebrow.

"No, you're not," she says returning to her book. "It's 8:00. You're not doing anything until this time tomorrow morning." I'm sort of dumbfounded.

"Don't look at me like that," she says not bothering to look again. "Go to your room."

I opened my mouth in protest; she glared at me.

My mouth snapped shut. "Yes, ma'am," I reply, defeated. I head back to my room, flopping back down where I sat just minutes before.

 _Guess this adventure will have to wait till tomorrow._

 _ **The Next Day...**_

I wake up bright and early the next morning. My mind is set on how this day will go. Pieces of dreams run through my head: the perfect way to tell Isabella I love her. I creep out of my room and across the hall to Ferb's. I knock as quietly as I can. A groan comes from the other side of the door.

 _Good. He's awake._

I enter, softly closing the door.

"Mmm..." Ferb grumbles, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What's up?"

"Can you set up a few things for me?" I ask, toying with my hands. His eyes told me to continue.

"I have something big planned for today," I says gesturing with my good hand. "And since I obviously can't build, I thought maybe you can help me out."

Ferb got up and stretched. "What am I building?"

I smile.

 _That's my brother._

 ** _Later..._**

I repeat my speech for Isabella for the millionth time to myself as I walk to her house. I'm dressed in a new orange-striped shirt and my fancy blue jeans. I hesitantly knock on her door, clearing my throat and taking a deep breath.

"I'm coming," that beautiful voice calls from the other side. My heart beats faster than a thousand drums. The locks click, the door opens, and Isabella is standing in front of me, looking as amazing as ever. I temporarily lose my voice.

"Oh," she says, appearing unconcerned, "hi, Phineas." My heart fractures a bit.

"Hi, Izzy..." I say wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, "I-I, uh..." I stammer, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. She waits patiently.

I take a deep breath. "Would you like to hang out with me today?" I ask as casually as I can. She chews her bottom lip; I stare entranced. I shake naughty thoughts out of my head.

 _Keep your focus, Flynn!_

"Sure," she says with a shrug. "I've got nothing else to do today."

My heart breaks even more, but my face maintains a smile. "Great." I offer my hand to her; to my surprise, she accepts it. We walk together down the sidewalk towards the park. Stopping at the gate, I check my watch.

 _Just two more minutes..._

"I have something to show you," I say, taking her hand and leading her to the garden. I pick a beautiful pink flower, placing it delicately behind her ear. I brush a few loose strands of hair out of her face.

"The first time I saw you..." I say, smiling gently. Grabbing her hand again, I lead her to the swings. I motion for her to sit in one of the swings.

"Our first conversation..." I say pushing on her from behind.

"Hi," I say, "I'm Phineas."

She giggles. "I'm Isabella."

"Are you new?"

"Yeah, I just moved here."

"Where from?"

"Mexico."

"Woooow," I say drawing it out just like before. She laughed.

"You seem nice," I say, gazing down at her.

"Thanks," she says, gazing back with the exact same smile, "you are, too."

I smile, offering my hand once more. She gladly accepts it. I lead her to the pond; the sun glistens on the surface as our reflections look up at us from the water.

"So, Isabella..." I start, looking directly into her eyes. She gazes back. "I've noticed, with some help, that you have feelings for me. Much more than just a friend." I have her full attention now. She chews her lip nervously.

"And..." she urges.

"And, I have discovered that I have..." I swallow, "feelings for you, too."


End file.
